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Ghost World




I could see myself loving this film had I seen it ten years ago. It has that indie feel that you just don't get anymore and the creative team behind the film seems to have a deep love for the source material. Ghost World is an odd film that pairs two unlikable leads and tries to get you to like them by the end. Mission failed. That's not to say I didn't like the film, on the contrary, I liked it very much, but I was never on board with these two girls as decent people.

Finding yourself in this world is a tough task and one that we ask of young people a lot. The moment in the film when the girls are looking around at the other classmates during the dance and talking about how they will never see these people again got to me a little. It made me think about the people I used to see every day of my life and now...I don't even check up on them on facebook. Whoever you are when you're a kid is different when you're a teenager and is different when you're an adult and is different when you're considered 'elderly'. People come and go in our lives, we have to figure out who the important ones are if we want to keep them. Enid and Rebecca are cynical outcasts, but they seemed to be perfect for each other, yet their friendship seems to end as well. People move on.

I felt bad for Buscemi's character. He's a depressed and socially awkward guy who is pranked on early in the film, but Enid for some reason feels a connection with him and they become friends. Cue awkward sex later on and the film takes on multiple depressing tones. I was shocked to read people's take on the end being that she committed suicide. Despite all the hard and terrible things that happen in her life, she always seemed like a strong-willed person defying the system. This character is brought to life wonderfully by Thora Birch. Steve Buscemi nails the pathetic lonely and desperate vibe that makes Seymore likeable...to a degree.

Ghost World was fun, it was smart with a memorable soundtrack. At almost 2 hrs, I felt like the film could use a bit a trimming here and there, but I'm pleased to have finally seen it.